Batman: Dark Patterns, Vol. 1

Batman: Dark Patterns (2024) #1-6

by Dan Watters, Hayden Sherman (Illustrator)

Experience some of Batman’s earliest case files as he delves into the most dangerous corners of Gotham City! Up against a devastating serial killer dubbed the "Wound Man," the Dark Knight is pushed to his physical and mental limits as the bodies pile up.

A new serial killer is terrorizing Gotham City, and his MO seems to be torturing his victims to death with surgical precision. But there’s more than just sadism at play, Batman soon realizes, and this newly christened "Wound Man" has more up his sleeve than just a brutal desire for violence.

Set in the early years of Batman’s career, Batman: Dark Patterns Vol. 1 pairs all-star creators Dan Watters and Hayden Sherman up to explore the mysteries that would go on to define the World’s Greatest Detective as we know him today.

Collects Batman: Dark Patterns issues #1-6.

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels, Batman, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics, Bande Dessinée

176 pages, Hardcover

First published March 31, 2026

About the author

Dan Watters is a UK based comic book writer. His first book, LIMBO, was released through Image Comics in 2016. He has since written THE SHADOW at Dynamite Comics, and ASSASSIN’S CREED and WOLFENSTEIN for Titan Comics.

Currently he is writing the relaunch of LUCIFER for Vertigo’s Sandman Universe, as well as DEEP ROOTS for Vault Comics. Deeply rooted in London Town, and firmly of the Devil's party.

Reviews

[Brooke ☯︎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Batman we needed... Violent attack dogs in Gotham, and a killer whose methods are very strange, tortuous, medieval, and clinically precise. A codex of all the brutal pain infliction that can be done to a body....but in the name of healing? The art is great, the story is very different from the Absolute series, which is also fun. Always fun to have a new take on the Batman. 🦇🟡

[Jim Ef · Rating 5 out of 5]

8.5/10
Two very different cases, equally challenging for different reasons. The certain thing is that Batman will have to put both his detective and fighting skills to work.

I loved this. The cases are interesting, the "villains" are well written with motives that make sense. Bruce is obviously smart and strong but not to an absurd degree.

In my review of Absolute Wonder Woman, i said that Sherman's art was good, but for me, it didn't match the story. Here however, their art style fits perfectly.

I am truly excited for vol. 2.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a guy who claims not to be that into Batman, I've read a lot of Batman comics. It's kind of like not being into steak but living across the street from a steakhouse. Things happen.

Anyway, this is four cases in Batman's life before Robin, before The Joker, The Penguin, The Riddler Catwoman, and the rest of Batman's usual collection of foils. Batman is fallible and has very little baggage at this point in his career. There is detective work, some creepy shit, and body horror. Batman is outgunned and barely escapes death long enough to figure out what's going on.

I want Dan Watters to write Daredevil now.

[Molly™☺ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark Patterns gets to be different, untethered to continuity and the current state of the universe, and this works in its favour. Watters is allowed to tell interesting detective stories with familiar faces and a grittier tone that is often lost amongst many mainline titles. Whilst this is not necessarily ground level, Gotham is always the most interesting when focusing on the regular citizens and how they get involved and intertwined with the chaos. In many ways, this is similar in tone to Gotham Central, but from Batman’s perspective rather than that of the GCPD. Both stories presented here are good reads, making this an easy recommend, especially for crime genre enthusiasts.

[Vinicius · Rating 5 out of 5]

Batman Padrões Sombrios Vol.01, publicado pela Panini,compila as seis primeiras issues americanas dessa série, compondo dois arcos distintos: "Nós Somos os Feridos" e "A Voz da Torre".

Dando um contexto, essas histórias se passam no terceiro ano de atuação do Batman, ou seja, seu início de carreira em Gotham City. Por isso,o Batman que vemos aqui é iniciante, sem equipe, com equipamentos reduzidos, e o principal: falho.

Assim, diferente do Batman atual - cheio de preparo - temos um Batman que apanha, sofre danos consideráveis em combate e têm as limitações do ambiente para se mover e posicionar (considerando que ele é um humano sempoderes).

Somado a isso, durante as patrulhas por Gotham, vemos Bruce reflexivo sobre os problemas da cidade e como ele não consegue estar presente em diversos lugares para impedir todos crimes, ou seja, temos um Batman que tem noção das suas limitações e aceita que existem crimes que ele não conseguirá impedir.

Assim, esses elementos tornam o Batman mais mundano, simples e sem o sentimento de ser invencível/infalível, lembrando bastante as histórias do Batman da Detective Comics dos anos 80/90, minissérie Batman Impostor, o filme The Batman, e demais histórias/obras que trabalham esse Batman urbano e detetivesco, focado em tramas que beiram a realidade em Gotham.

No que tange o primeiro arco, vamos acompanhar o Batman lidando com um assassino que está seguindo padrões em suas matanças, deixando uma trilha para o Batman investigar. Assim, descobre-se uma relação do assassinocom a famosa Ace Chemicals, mostrando que os assassinatos possuem um aspecto de vingança, bem como, uma questão socioeconômica por trás.

Dessa forma, além de toda a atmosfera investigativa que permeia a história, o vilão é atrelado as desigualdades sociais, proporcionando uma reflexão acerca do poder do capital das grandes empresas em detrimento da população economicamente inferior, vista como pessoas, literalmente, sem dinheiro, submetidas a vontade dos ricos da cidade de Gotham.

Em relação ao segundo arco, temos uma história ainda investigativa,porém, com mais ação, envolvendo o Batman e o vilão Scarface.

Na trama, temos o Batman enfrentando moradores de um prédio - que está prestes a ser demolido - que se tornaram seguidores do Scarface, já que o mesmo oferece proteção para as famílias.

Por conta da demolição do prédio, as familias estão sendo despejadas dos seus apartamentos - evidenciando um caso de gentrificação de um bairro de Gotham - mas por motivos pessoais, o Ventríloquo decide ajudar essas famílias, protegendo-os da repressão policial e ordem de despejo.

Por conta desse cenário, a historia se passa toda dentro do edifício, sendo que o Batman é obrigado a agir contra o scarface, mas também contra as pessoas do prédio, o que torna a locomoção do personagem pelo prédio bem mais dificil.

Contudo, Batman Padrões Sombrios é um excelente quadrinho detetivesco do Batman, que explora ainda mais seu inicio de carreira, provocando reflexões interessantes acerca de histórias com temas que espelham a sociedade hodierna.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.9 stars

[Dustin · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5, rounded up.

This is the best new Batman comic series I've read in many years. I gave up on the regular monthly titles some years ago, but this newer series set only a few years into Batman's career has excellent writing, and very cool art backing it up. The first two arcs collected here involve a new character called Wound Man who was quite horrific, and a really cool Scarface story as well. Looking forward to seeing where this series goes.

[Spencer Gilliland · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had heard rumblings about Dark Patterns as some sort of incredible masterwork. I am happy to confirm that it is, without a doubt, incredible. It’s Batman exactly as I love him— a skilled detective knee deep in gothic, sci-fi nonsense trying his best not to get killed. The tales here are incredibly interesting and macabre. The art is spectacular. Just… wow man. Not perfect, but this series just warms the cockles of my heart.

[Brandon Roy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in the early years, this series has a smart and strong Batman but not the completely prepared and device laden Batman of today.

It does what I wish more Batman stories would do and adds the detective side as well. The new villain in the first story, Wound Man, is tragic and visually creepy. Seeing new or less seen parts of Gotham including a suburban setting was nice as well.

The 2nd story is a interesting take on Scarface and again a different part of Gotham. It deals with a group of people and how they handle life in Gotham. Good stuff

[Frédéric · Rating 4 out of 5]

In these times of ultra-decompressed storytelling, where authors take six issues to tell a story that could have been told in half the pages, I greatly appreciated the concept of three-issue story arcs.
No time wasted, Watters gets straight to the point with an old-school detective Batman—probably from years earlier than the regular series—investigating a particular case.

The storytelling is fully supported by Sherman's artwork, which shows great creativity. While the first story is a little weak in terms of plot and resolves itself a little too easily—the downside of three issues is that sometimes you have to use shortcuts—the second is really good and allows Sherman to indulge in bold and brilliant composition.

It was a podcast that spoke highly of this series that prompted me to try it. I was right to follow their advice.

[Ignacio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dan Watters y Hayden Sherman consiguen hacer historias de Batman que parecen nuevas. Primero, dando a los dos arcos argumentales aquí recogidos una vertiente social; el primero un poco visto pero conectándolo con el segundo a través de un tema de calado en la sociedad occidental: cómo afecta el problema de la vivienda a las clases menos favorecidas. Y después, quitando el freno en el uso de los villanos, profundizando en lo quimérico de su construcción (genial ese Scarface del segundo arco), extendiendo su acción a un plano metafísico, actores de una violencia que dota de matices sucios a argumentos de esa moralidad ambigua que debería estar en la mayoría de historias del personaje pero se suele perder por el camino. El resultado son unas páginas donde Batman es sobre todo testigo de lo que está mal en la sociedad y los monstruos que produce, muy 2000 AD.

A destacar el dibujo de Hayden Sherman. Muy inspirado en las composiciones de página aunque las secuencias que crea sean en ocasiones gratuitas, y en su representación del personaje y de Gotham. Aquí subrayar la importancia del color de Triona Farrell, que redondea la oscuridad de un tebeo que puede disfrutar cualquiera que alguna vez disfrutara con las historias de Batman.

[Jorge Sáez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este cómic es la razón por la que Batman es mi superhéroe favorito: puro thriller policíaco con la dosis perfecta entre fantasía y realismo detectivesco. El primer arco es bastante superior, he de decir.

[Luke Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely stellar all around.

[Jannik Fogt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ret fed Batman-tegneserie med silverage vibes. Handler om en ung Bruce Wayne der i starten af sin selvtægtskarriere fungerer mere som detektiv end som superhelt. Tegneserien er formmæssig stringent; fire historier fordelt på 12 issues med 3 issues til hver historie. Hver historie har en ny skurk og i den sidste historie bindes alle fire historier sammen.

Jeg fandt den første historie med skurken "Wound man" og den sidste med skurken "Child of Fire" som de mest vellykkede. Pacingen er god og spændingen holdes højt. Batmans dystre voiceover sender tankerne hen på Rorschach fra Watchmen og supplerer illustrator Hayden Shermans slummede Gotham-vision virkelig fedt.

Jeg vil meget gerne læse mere af Dan Watters.

[Tom Duffy · Rating 5 out of 5]

RULES. Easily some of the best Batman stories created at least this decade if not beyond. They're pretty grisly at times but they get to the heart of Batman as a noir detective in ways no other book has been able to recently. Dan Watters' Batman is totally ideal. The World's Greatest Detective but you always feel the actual person underneath. Hayden Sherman was already on my radar for his Absolute Wonder Woman stuff but his work here is this gorgeous cross between Tim Sale and J.H. Williams III. The whole team is doing off-the-charts work. Now to start the hoping and praying that DC will give us more.

[Axel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leído en el AVE de ida y vuelta. Me habría gustado que ambas historias hubieran tenido un poco más de tiempo, pero entiendo la limitación del formato y aún así creo que están muy bien. Me gustan mucho las historias de Batman que son pequeños misterios cortos estilo "villain of the week". En la segunda sobre todo me han gustado las migajas de un elemento sobrenatural. Gotham es una ciudad viva. Sus calles y sus avenidas y sus edificios hablan, y es una parte tan importante del mito de Batman como sus personajes.

Y el arte es INCREÍBLE.

[doma⋆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

(the whole series)
„There will be a fire tonight in gotham city. There always has been." the finale felt a bit rushed and not as impressive as i thought it would be but overall it was an amazing story, fire being a metaphor for gotham's nature is just ahhh

[Tom Zilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up.
These 2 stories are like R-rated BTAS episodes, with some interesting new villains.

[Samuel Hickman · Rating 4 out of 5]

8/10

Great time to be a batman fan. This is how i like my batman, detectivy and physically vulnerable. Fantastic stories and perfectly matched art. Hoping for a vol 2

[Jem · Rating 5 out of 5]

issues 1-6: 5/5
issues 7-12: 4/5

the wound man is probably one of the best character designs in recent DC

[James De Leon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent set of stories. The first one, dealing with the wounded man, wasn’t my favorite… if this is meant to be more of a detective, ground Batman story, this felt a bit too fantastical.

The second one, with Scarface, picks things up a bit. I’m always game for a story with the dummy.

[Keegan Schueler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Modern version of legends of the dark knight and really hope they keep this series going.

[Justin Biondo · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best Batman books out right now

[Kurt Lorenz · Rating 5 out of 5]

#1-3, We Are the Wounded, ☆☆☆☆☆
#4-6, The Voice of the Tower, ☆☆☆☆

I expect this series will receive a lot more acclaim when a deluxe edition comes out containing all 12 issues. There aren't many series nowadays that stick to tight 3-issue stories, but Dark Patterns does it impeccably, delivering phenomenal art and writing issue after issue. I'm very much looking forward to the two stories in volume 2.

[RubiGiráldez RubiGiráldez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ciudad Arkham: El Orden del Mundo ya me enganchó a todo lo que Dan Watters pudiese escribir sobre Batman y, sobre todo, Gotham City. En aquella miniserie básicamente planteó un "Razas de Noche de Clive Barker" con varios pacientes fugados y una "llamada" aparentemente sobrenatural sobre la misma fundación retorcida de la ciudad que custodia el murciélago. En su etapa de Nightwing en ALL IN, Watters también parece querer integrar a la historia de Dick Grayson una presencia realmente ominosa ligada a su pasado circense. Y ya a cargo de una colección propia de Batman, el autor consigue formular una propuesta indudablemente perfecta de querer disfrutar de ese lado más oscuro y perturbador del personaje y la ciudad que le rodea.

Patrones Oscuros nos traslada a los primeros años de actividad de Bruce Wayne como Batman, aún no conociendo del todo los recovecos de esta urbe aparentemente condenada ya sea por el crimen sin fín o algo realmente siniestro y sobrenatural que provoca un sin fín de eventos terribles de los que Bruce trata de mantener a raya o acabar con los que puede en sus límites humanos. Justamente el primer arco argumental parece desafiar totalmente esto presentando un nuevo enemigo realmente terrible y perturbador que busca infligir una dolorosa justicia que se puede comprobar en su propio cuerpo. Tengo que decir que es curioso que Watters y el autor de los números recientes de Green Arrow hayan coincidido en una trama similar de trama urbanística en la que poner en peligro a residentes con elementos tóxicos del lugar, por lo que quien sobrevive busca venganza . Pero es cierto que en la colección protagonizada por el Arquero Esmeralda se busca una resolución que cale más en lo discursivo y en Patrones Oscuros, Dan Watters hiere hasta el tuétano con la presencia de El Hombre Herido.

Y si en la presentación de la colección descubríamos un nuevo enemigo. El 2º arco resignifica uno más conocido de la galería del Batverse como hacía tiempo que no se disfrutaba con este personaje que tan perturbadoras posibilidades ofrece desde su retorcido reino psicológico. Atendiendo a la situación que escala en peligro por momentos de una inminente carga policial a un edificio que está siendo amenazado con expulsar a los desesperados residentes. Batman va descubriendo una amenaza más preocupante que el torpe secuestro de una de las patrulleras que han ido a investigar el lugar. El edificio tiene sus propias reglas en una arquitectura que trasmite mejor ecos de pura paranoia. Y alguien se está aprovechando de ello para trascender su patético cuerpecito a unos materiales más sólidos e inexpugnables. En otra demencial historia con ecos "Barkerianos", este "edificio viviente" arroja sus particulares "anti cuerpos" ante la amenaza a su sistema que supone el Caballero Oscuro. Pura tensión en la que el trabajo a los lápices de Hayden Sherman también promueven interesantes juegos de construcción (sic.) de composición de viñetas que contribuyen a la sensación claustrofóbica y pesadillesca. El color de Tríona Farrell también refuerzan la estética hiper marcada oscura y tenebrista que hace destacar Batman: Patrones Oscuros como una excelente nueva lectura del personaje.

[Raul Reyes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kind of conflicted, because while the first and third arcs are some of the best Batman stories I’ve ever read, I disliked the second story and thought that the ending was alright. So, while the average of my ratings for the arcs was 3.6, I’m giving it 4 stars because the first and third stories are just that good. First, I love how this book wasn’t afraid to showcase all of the positive and negative attributes that Bruce has, and all of the good and bad he does on Gotham. The ending of issue 9 was jaw-dropping. Another very interesting aspect was how much of a character Gotham was on the story. It’s very much the spiritual successor of The Long Halloween in the way that it showcases the slow changing of the guard from the standard crime bosses to the more fantastical villains with the arrival of Batman, but this time from the perspective of the citizens of the city. The last thing that I loved story-wise, was the different ways that legacy was embodied throughout the series with Bruce, The Wounded Man, and the old man that pretended to be part of the Red Hood gang. The colors and art were also just stellar. Some things I didn’t love: the twist during the second arc felt cliché, and I don’t think that the true “villain” was shown enough empathy by the story. I especially hated that she burned down the building at the end because it didn’t make sense at all for her character, and the explanation the reporter gives during the last arc still didn’t convince me otherwise. Lastly, to me, the analogy between the fire and Batman didn’t fully work for me, or the fact that the reporter was supposed to represent the “new Gotham” and that the doctor was supposed to represent the old one. A final nitpick I had was that the backstory of the Wounded Man was also used during Chris Condon’s Green Arrow run, so it took away its impact a bit.

We Are the Wounded: 4.5
The Voice of the Tower: 2
Pareidolia: 5
The Child of Fire: 3

[Gary Sassaman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book flew under my radar last year as it was being published in monthly form. I was aware of it at my local comics shop, but never even looked at it, so this collected version is a bit of a revelation for me. While Dan Watters’ scripts lean a little too much into horror for me, Hayden Sherman’s art is the real attraction here. I was familiar with his work from reading the first issue of Absolute Wonder Woman when it came out (full disclosure: the Absolute line is decidedly not my cup of tea and I fully admit it’s an issue of where I am in my life these days), but he should be permanently assigned to a Bat-book (preferably Detective Comics, if I had my way). His art is somewhere in a Venn diagram of Tim Sale, Paul Pope, and Carmine Infantino, all inspirations to him which he admits in an interview feature at the back of this book. I found the format of this 12-issue maxi-series interesting, too: four 3-part stories that are interconnected. I guess the original plan was to have four separate artists, but Sherman pitched himself as doing the whole thing, and editor Adrianna Turturro thankfully went along with it (she also edited the excellent if awkwardly titled Batman The Long Halloween: The Last Halloween last year). While a little too horror-centric for me (and featuring my least favorite Bat-villain, Scarface, in one of the stories), I thoroughly enjoyed this book and hope to see more Hayden Sherman Batman in the future.

[Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series reads like a compilation of unreleased Batman: The Animated Series episodes in the best way possible. Most of Batman's lines I heard in my head as if read by Kevin Conroy, and it felt fitting to his interpretation of the character, but that could just be personal bias. The tone hits a lot of similar notes, with the cast focused on Batman, Alfred, Commissioner Gordon, and whatever characters are pertinent to the story at hand. Of the 2 stories covered in this first volume, there aren't any big-name villains featured (unless you consider Scarface a prominent baddie in Batman's Rogues Gallery; I love the character, but I know he's probably a C-lister). This leaves the space open for originality, something that Batman can at times feel lacking in, so it's nice to have a series that doesn't lean so earnestly on the predictable enemies Batman is often pushed up against. Even Scarface is taken in a clever direction that expands the character in inventive ways.

The art is great across the board, and the writing and style feel perfect for the types of tales being told. This doesn't hit a 5 mostly because I've personally enjoyed other Batman comics more, but I do think this is a top-tier Bat-book that I could recommend to nearly anyone.

[Pedro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Esto es Batman en su versión más cruda, donde Gotham vuelve a sentirse como una ciudad enferma de verdad y no solo como un decorado gótico bonito. El guion tira claramente hacia lo oscuro, con casos verdaderamente perturbadores, una sensación constante de malestar y un Batman más detective que nunca, investigando casos que no tienen soluciones fáciles ni respuestas cómodas. No es un cómic que busque ser la experiencia normal de Batman en el sentido habitual, sino más bien inquietante, casi desagradable en algunos momentos, y eso le da una sensación de estar leyendo algo más bien de la línea Vertigo. Pero si algo destaca por encima de todo son las ilustraciones que tienen una fuerza brutal, con un uso del contraste, las sombras y el diseño de Gotham que refuerzan muchísimo ese tono opresivo. Hay páginas que parecen directamente sacadas de una pesadilla urbana, con composiciones muy cuidadas que hacen que incluso lo familiar se sienta peligroso y diferente. Es una lectura que entra más por la atmósfera y el impacto visual, pero igual me parece que hay mucha originalidad en la trama. Creo que esta historia está destinada a convertirse en un clásico de Batman, junto con
the long hallowen, the killing joke, hush, etc. 100% recomendado.

[Ryan Malik · Rating 5 out of 5]

If BATMAN: THE LAST HALLOWEEN didn't live up to your expectations, then you need, need, NEED to read BATMAN: DARK PATTERNS. It consists of several story arcs, comprised of three or four issues each. And each one is a dark, psychological mystery. Perhaps the single best part of this series is Dan Watters's reinterpretation of classic villain Firefly. We don't see him in his fire suit, just in Arkham whites with his face severely burned, providing insight into the investigation much like Calendar Man did in THE LONG HALLOWEEN. Here, Firefly is no longer just a gimmicky villain; he's a twisted psycho who gets under your skin. His Firefly now joins the great reinterpretations of characters like Calendar Man and Mr. Freeze, who was brilliantly reimagined by Paul Dini for BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES. Hopefully, Watters and artist Hayden Sherman aren't finished in Gotham because we need more of their stories.